We are all involved in aiding and abetting human trafficking and neo-slavery in Nigeria, Nigeria's Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has alleged.

He stated this in reaction to the auctioning of Nigerians as slaves in Libya.

Yakubu who recently returned from Italy where he had gone to participate in a conference convened by the president of Italy’s Chamber of Deputies, Laura Bodrini on “Women empowerment and the fight against trafficking in persons: The partnership between Nigeria and Italy,” said Nigeria has a leading role to play to halt this neo-slavery.

According to him, President Buhari must “deploy Nigeria’s diplomatic and military clout on this matter. Permit me to seize this opportunity to call on Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief to lead this struggle for total and unconditional emancipation of the unfortunate victims of this scourge.

“History beckons on our president with a gold pen and a page reserved for only Africa’s great statesmen if he successfully leads the campaign to eradicate modern slavery. Mr. President should, if necessary, deploy Nigeria’s diplomatic and military clout on this matter.

''We would like to see an immediate convening of an emergency session of the ECOWAS and African Union (AU) to launch a rescue operation; as soon as possible. As it is, the voices of ECOWAS and AU are unacceptably too feeble on this devastating issue.

“It is my considered opinion that we are all involved in this crime, either as perpetrators or those who are aiding and abetting human trafficking, by standing aloof, for we are ultimately responsible for what we allow or permit.

“There is a place for Nigeria in all these.

“As the most populous black nation on earth, we must accept the fact that if any black man or woman falls, it would be because Nigeria lacks strength.

“Until the last modern slave is freed, we would have done nothing and our generation will bear this shame forever,” he added.